1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an infant protective cushion system for shopping carts and, more particularly, to a pair of cushions positionable in the rear mini-basket portion of a shopping cart adapted to support a child in a comfortable and convenient orientation.
2. Description of the Background Art
All mothers know that tending a child is a time consuming and frequently difficult activity. Shopping is a task which requires time and attention of all, including mothers. When a mother must tend to a young child while shopping, the tasks of shopping and child tending seem to complicate each other. In order to abate such problem, various techniques have been proposed for the safe, secure, comfortable and convenient supporting of children while shopping. All such techniques, however, are deficient in one aspect or the other.
A wide variety of techniques are employed commercially or are disclosed in the patent literature in an effort to support a child in a shopping cart while the mother shops. Note for example U.S Pat. No. 4,324,430 to Dimas; U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,502 to Houllis; U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,758 to Valley and U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,289 to Herrera. All of these patents relate to devices for securing a child in a shopping cart. Such devices suffer from one problem or another. In the Dimas and Houllis devices, separate straps are required for securing the child into the seat. This can cause complications and inconvenience to the mother and pose a safety hazard to the child. In Houllis and Valley, the child is oriented so that he or she is facing away from the mother pushing the cart. This is an inconvenience to the mother when attempting to concurrently shop and tend the child. Further, in all instances, these devices are relatively complex and expensive and are also relatively difficult to utilize.
In another set of patents, child car seats are disclosed for particular use in automobiles where saftey is the principle concern. This grouping of patents includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,591 to Mauron; U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,999 to Kain; U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,685 to Sudoh; U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,639 to Burleigh and U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,849 to Rist. All of these child car seats are characterized by complex strap arrangements, and they are also multi-component systems. These factors render them difficult to construct as well as to utilize. They are also of high cost and are not particularly adapted for the safe, secure and convenient use by mothers shopping with a small child in a shopping cart.
The last prior art patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,766 to Semmler. This patent relates to a one-piece cushion anatomically configured for supporting a low birth weight infant in such a manner as to prevent most cushion-induced deformations from occuring. Although designed for the comfort and security of a child, such device is not configured for being positioned in association with a shopping cart. Further, such device is not constructed for supporting children beyond very small sizes and weights.
As illustrated by the large number of background art and commercial devices, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to improve shopping cart devices for supporting children. No prior effort, however, suggests a present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed herein. Prior art shopping cart seats and cushions do not provide the benefits attendant with the present invention. The present invention achieves its purposes, objects and advantages over the prior art through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, through the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, and through the use of only readily available materials and conventional components.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a cushion system adapted for the comfortable and convenient supporting of a child in the mini-basket of a shopping cart comprising a back cushion having a central part and forwardly extending side parts positioned with its rear surface against the rear portion of the mini-basket, its lower middle surface on the seat of the mini-basket, and its lower forward surface on the forward portion of the mini-basket, and with an essentially 90 degree angle between the lower rear surface and the lower middle surface and with an arcuate portion on the upper surface generally perpendicular to the lower middle surface for receiving the back of a child; and a front cushion extending from side to side between the side parts of the back cushion and with a trapezoidal cross sectional configuration, the larger parallel face extending upwardly and with the shorter parallel face resting on the mini-basket seat.
It is a further object of the present invention to support a child in a comfortable and convenient manner while in a shopping cart.
It is a further object of the present invention to ease the burden of a mother tending a child while shopping.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.